pastor tim stephens

I write this from my jail cell in the Calgary Remand Centre. The past week I’ve missed my wedding anniversary and Fathers’ Day. My children will remember this Fathers’ Day as a time when they wept over the phone as I did my best to stay composed before other inmates while expressing my love for my children.

Your government has wrongfully put me on the horns of a dilemma. Either I forsake my convictions before God, or I’m imprisoned for some unknown time, taken from my family and the church community I’m entrusted to serve. If I choose the former then I deny God, thus I’m left facing the consequences of the latter. My conscience is captive to the Word of God and shall not be moved.

I realize that you think it’s best to adapt or change religious practices to work within the confines of your overbearing rules, but to adapt or change what I believe God calls me to do is to deny what God has called me to do.

For example, I’m commanded by Jesus, who died to make me his own, to practice hospitality. In fact, as a pastor, this must be a defining mark of my life. Hospitality is the practice of welcoming guests into your home. A practice forbidden by your government for 6 months. When forced to choose between obeying God and obeying men, the choice is clear.

I’ve shared publicly, and on many occasions how our theological convictions, mined from never-changing Scripture, come into conflict with your ever-changing “laws.” AHS continues to make public statements that they tried “working” with us, which is shorthand for them seeking unbending compliance through greater threats of punishment. Not once has anyone in your government shown any interest in actually working with us.

You have said that we have access to our independent judiciary for such discussions. However, our courts continue to refrain from weighing in on the constitutionality of your health orders. AHS lawyers continue to argue that more time is needed to produce the evidence that your office says it is using to make these restrictions. The courts have not proved to be a timely option for us. Your government can get a court order within the week. We are waiting on a hearing set for the end of September that began with lawyers in December of last year. The dates have been pushed back numerous times.

Mr. Premier and elected MLAs, I’m pleading with you to uphold our highest laws to which you are held to account. Temporary public health orders do not supersede our Alberta Bill of Rights, nor our Candian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I know that I am in the minority, but these laws are designed to protect the minority.

Mr. Premier, I know these restrictions will be lifted soon. I ask that you refrain from using imprisonment ever again to seek compliance to health orders. My imprisonment may be applauded by the left, but it has made Alberta the world-wide embarrassment of conservative governments.

As restrictions are lifted, return responsibility to the people of Alberta and return it for good. May this not be a pattern for your government in the future.

Thank you,

Tim Stephens

Pastor of Fairview Baptist Church

Editor’s Note. This letter was originally published on Fairview Baptist Church’s website.

Pastor Tim Stephens, who was arrested by police on Monday in front of his weeping wife and children a day after his underground church service was discovered by police helicopters, will have to spend at least 2 weeks in prison on account of violating Alberta lockdown orders, incarcerated until he can attend a June 24 court date.

This is the second arrest for Stephens, who was taken into custody last month and spent three days in jail, and was subsequently released after his arrest was found to be based on illegal and spurious merits.

In a letter posted on social media by his wife Raquel, she explains that the government has now seized Fairview Baptist Church’s building and pastor and that Alberta Health services “still want Tim to tell people what to wear, where to stand, and to forbid some people from being the church,”

Following his arrest, Pastor Stephens went before a Justice of the Peace and like Pastor James Coates, who was jailed on the same grounds and whose location has yet to be discovered, was offered bail conditions “upon his agreement to abide by all public health orders.” She explains that he could not agree to those terms, as that would “prevent him from faithfully shepherding the flock to his care” and consequently will remain in custody until at least June 28.

According to Calgary Police, though Stephens was served with an injunction to cease gathering, he chose to “move forward with an illegal outdoor service, ignoring requirements for social distancing and reduced capacity limits for attendees.”

In a statement by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, the firm who is representing pastor Stephens, Jay Cameron, Justice Centre Litigation Director explains that the arrest is completely outrageous:

It is our position that AHS is engaged in an intentional act of public deception and abuse of authority in arresting Pastor Stephens and others. Further, it appears that Premier Kenney’s Government is targeting its enemies, those who are speaking out against lockdown restrictions and for Charter freedoms.